Friday, 23 October 2015

Folded Tag, Candy Cane, Male/Female

It's time for a new Tag You're It challenge, everyone...  and I have a little confession to make!
But before I do that, here's my tag...




... and here's Kara's tag that was used for inspiration this time around.




As for my confession?

I have never heard of, yet alone seen Candy Corn before.  I even double checked with my husband and he didn't have a clue either!  I guess it's just one of those things that hasn't made it over to the UK...  like the MISTI :(

Needless to say my daughter knew exactly what it was (she spends a lot of time online) and proceeded to tell me how it used to be available just for Halloween but now you can have it year 'round...  Is that right my American friends/passers by?
I wonder if you can make your own?

This doesn't tell you how I came up with my design, though, does it?  After all, I'm very aware it looks nothing like the original!

Well firstly, I made the jump from 'Candy Corn' to 'Candy Cane' as they are both edible, sweet and instantly recognisable - allegedly!  

Then I chose to do something I wouldn't normally do - I took a free illustration off the web as I couldn't find a candy cane stamp that I liked...  
Just printing an illustration off the web and sticking it down doesn't sit right with me though, so I printed off two copies, cut the red pieces out of the one, stuck them to the other and then mounted the whole thing onto card and cut it out again!
Then I used a deeper shade of red to colour over the red pieces on the candy cane and added on some extra lines here and there...  just to give it a bit more realism.

Kara's design has a lot of white space, one central image and four colours - if you include the black and white.  
I stuck to this design brief but brought Kara's outside edge pattern to the middle of my design.  The only way to do that without it looking cluttered was to use my Martha Stewart/All Over The Page 'Aspen Flurry' Punch, and then place a piece of black textured card behind.

The Stitched Holly Leaves (Memory Box) were used to bring the colour count back up to four.  Rather than use the berry that came with this set I cut a button from the Poppystamps 'Stitched buttons' die, put some Ranger 'Glossy Accents' on top and used that instead.

If you look really closely, can you see what else I did before gluing down the pieces?

I put my folded tag through my Cuttlebug with my Memory Box 'Shimmer' Stencil to add some subtle extra dimension to my mini make :) 

I'm beginning to realise that I love adding texture to my cards and tags!

Before I use this tag, I may 'bling it up' a little with some Christmas bells or charms.  I couldn't do that today though as Tag You're It is a Clean and Simple challenge!

I wonder what you will do with Kara's design if you chose to play along?

Donna...


PS...  I'm also adding this little tag to Pixie's Crafty Snippets Challenge as the holly, (berry) button and the piece of black backing card were all cut from my snippets collection :)




Hope you have a good weekend...

Tuesday, 20 October 2015

CAS, Butterfly on leaves, Female

I don't often make CAS cards...  and if I'm honest I had no idea this would end up being one.
You see, I wanted to join in with the latest Butterfly Challenge and I had a rough idea in mind weeks ago when I first saw the 'E' for embossing theme...  but I thought I had longer than I did and almost missed the boat altogether. 
(Thanks for mentioning it on your blog, Di)!!!

Anyhow, in a last minute 'I've got eleven hours to the deadline' (which realistically means four hours tops to make the card and try and get a decent photo...  then zoom off to get daughter from school, hear her news for the day, feed her, etc...  Oh yes, and get some washing on, washing put away, prepare and eat my evening meal, etc...  That doesn't leave an awful lot of time really. does it?

Oh well... 

So like I said, this wasn't going to be a CAS card.  It was going to have more layers and embellishments...  and initially I had a choice of two designs in mind.  But...  whilst moving things around I looked and thought 'this looks better like this...  Clean and Simple...  uncluttered.'

So that's how this card was made.

Minimal supplies used:
Stampin' Up 'Best Blossoms'
Memory Box 'Blissful Butterfly Border'
Cuttlebug 'Tag Team Butterflies' Cut and Emboss Set 
Memento (Tsukineko) Ink Pad 'Bamboo Leaves'
Twine
Foam Pads

Here's the card...





I know Winter is setting in, but I still have room in my life for Butterfly cards.  If you do too, maybe you could pop over to the latest Butterfly Challenge and have a go yourself.  There's always room there you know...  unlike my craft cupboard!!!


(Butterfly + 'E' for Embossing/#40)



Also adding to...


(Butterfly from snippets collection)



Take care...

Snow Globe/Stag, Aperture, Female

I was fortunate enough to win a Guest spot on the Design Team at City Crafter a few weeks ago and was over the moon at the theme I was scheduled to play along with for this week.
'Into The Wood' couldn't be more perfect for me as I adore making nature themed cards.  
But the rules were very clear..  Include 'wood' somehow in the design, but NO TREE!!!

My plan from the beginning involved the Stag and Snow Globe die along with the Woodgrain embossing folders.
As for the rest...  that was more trial and error.   That's often the way it goes for me (having a partial design in mind that I then have to 'play' with).  I don't know about you!

Here's the card...




My aim (please feel free to tell me if it worked or not) was to create a pretty 'girly' card that wasn't overtly girly.  Does that make sense?  I also purposefully chose the whole 'brown' look, but still wanted to achieve a CAS 'feel' to the design.  Clean and Simple meets Layered meets Aperture...

Dies used:
Taylored Expressions 'Birch Tree Accessory Set' (Stag)
Memory Box 'Large Snow Globe'
Marianne Design Collectables 'Tab With Text'
Memory Box 'Holly Vine'
Impression Obsession 'Pine Branch'
Open Studio 'Snowglobe Bases'

Embossing Folders:
Sizzix/Texture Fades 'Woodgrain' (Background)
Crafter's Companion 'Woodgrain' (Snow Globe Base)
Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes'

Stencil:
Memory Box 'Splatter Spray'

Gluing two cards together and then adding inner panels is a favourite trick of mine for aperture cards, but it does add to the weight quite a bit...  so these cards are generally reserved for hand delivery only.

(I generally console myself with the fact that at least they are sturdy rather than flimsy)!

A bow with a bell attached and three vanilla/champagne Morning Dew Drops...  and this card was done...

...  except for this...





I cant't wait to see what you design if you decide to play along :)




Challenges I'm entering...


(Monochrome or Colour...  and Why?)

I like the challenge of getting a Monochrome card to 'work' for me.



(Add Texture and/or Colour Inspiration)

I chose to add texture.  



The Sisterhood of Crafters
(Die-lirious and Punchy)



Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge

Creative Card Crew
(Challenge #98 'Ribbon')



Pixie's Crafty Snippets Challenge

My patterned paper and stag were both cut from my snippets stash.



(SSC112)



(Challenge #130 'Christmas to Die for')



Cas-UAL Chic
(CCC04)

Stencilling, Die Cutting, Embossing.



Hope you are having a good week so far...
My thoughts are with those of you I know are having a rough time right now.